Chiquita Chavis is an Army Reservist who served in Afghanistan and is waiting to see if she 'll be deployed for a second time .

But since returning from her first tour in 2010 , she has fallen on hard times .

She came back to find that the civilian job she left had been restructured , and with only part-time work , she struggled to make ends meet for herself and her young daughter . They ended up living in a friend 's garage .

`` I never had to live in the street , '' said Chavis , 30 . `` But I -LRB- was -RRB- not in a situation where I could support myself on my own . ''

Chavis is not alone . While the Department of Veterans Affairs reports that overall veteran homeless rates are going down , female rates are going up . In fact , female veterans are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. homeless population and are more at risk than their male counterparts , according to the report .

Read the report on veterans ' homeless rates -LRB- PDF -RRB-

The VA says veterans become homeless for many reasons , including mental health issues and substance abuse . But it notes that female veterans can face additional challenges , such as sexual abuse . Female veterans are also more likely to be single parents , the VA says , which can make it more difficult to find adequate housing .

Chavis ' luck changed at a job fair when she met Jaspen Boothe , a captain with the Army National Guard . Within days , Boothe had helped Chavis and her daughter move to a transitional home where they could stay until they got back on their feet .

Boothe , 35 , considers it her mission to help her female comrades who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless . Since 2011 , she has provided transitional housing or financial assistance to more than 50 female veterans and their children through her nonprofit , Final Salute .

`` Not every veteran is living under a bridge , '' Boothe said . `` Not all veterans have mental issues . Not all veterans have experienced substance abuse . Some veterans have just fallen on hard times . ''

When they do fall , it can be hard for female veterans with children to find housing , according to the Government Accountability Office . It reported that 60 % of the homeless shelters that serve female veterans do n't accept children or have restrictions based on age or the number of children that can be housed .

Read the GAO report on veterans and housing -LRB- PDF -RRB-

In the past two years , Boothe has opened two transitional homes in the Virginia suburbs of Washington , where veterans and their children can live for up to two years while they get their lives back on track .

Her nonprofit also offers them assistance with child care , employment placement and accessing benefits or counseling through the VA. .

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`` We offer wrap-around services ... anything they could possibly need to help get themselves back in a state of independence , '' Boothe said . `` We give all the tools that you need , but your success in this program is up to you . ''

Additionally , Boothe works to prevent homelessness by providing interest-free loans or grants to help female veterans pay for rent , deposit and utilities .

To date , she 's helped 100 women and children through her programs , and she has given plenty of personal support and encouragement along the way .

`` I definitely am someone who relates to them on their level , '' she said . '' -LRB- I -RRB- let them know : `` Hey , you can get past your circumstances . They 're only temporary . ''

She should know ; she was once homeless herself .

As a single mother , Boothe joined the Army Reserves to make a better life for herself and her young son . She was based in New Orleans and set to deploy to Iraq in 2005 when her life was turned upside down .

Hurricane Katrina hit . Boothe and her son were fine -- she 'd already sent him to live with a relative in Missouri while she prepared to deploy -- but the family lost everything , and Boothe became homeless .

A month later , she was diagnosed with head , neck and throat cancer . She underwent surgery and radiation treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas , but she was eventually discharged from the Reserves because of her illness .

When Boothe asked the VA what assistance was available for her , she was told they did n't have any programs that could help with the challenges she was facing as a female veteran with a dependent child .

They referred her to local social services , which Boothe called probably the most demeaning experience of her life .

`` You 're treated basically as a baby 's mama or a crack head , or some woman who 's made a bunch of bad decisions with her life , and the only resources available were welfare , '' Boothe said . `` I 'm not a welfare mom , I 'm a soldier . ''

Boothe joined her young son in Missouri , where she was able to eventually get her life back together . Today , her cancer is in remission , and she lives with her son , her new husband and their son in Virginia , where she is on active duty with the Army National Guard .

For years , Boothe considered her experience an isolated incident . But when she realized that other female veterans were struggling , too , she decided to take action . For her , it 's part of the oath she swore to uphold when she entered the service .

`` As a soldier , you raise your right hand , and with that comes certain responsibilities , '' she said . `` One of those is to never leave a fallen comrade . ... So whether they 're in or out of uniform , they have me if they need me . ''

Boothe 's help has given Chavis the break she needed .

`` I have a job now , and I got promoted in like two weeks , '' Chavis said . `` I 'm really at peace here , and I can focus on what my next steps are . ... Jas set me up for success . ''

Boothe is determined to help as many female veterans as she can . At the end of the month , she 'll be getting another opportunity when she starts her dream job : working in women veterans outreach at the VA. .

One way or another , her ultimate goal is to make organizations like hers obsolete .

`` I do n't have a blueprint , but I 'm going to figure it out , '' she said . `` It 's my duty as a soldier to help my fellow sisters . ''

Want to get involved ? Check out the Final Salute website at www.finalsaluteinc.org and see how to help .

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Jaspen Boothe is committed to helping out homeless female veterans

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Government reports say female veterans have to deal with issues that men do not

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Boothe , a captain with the Army National Guard , was once homeless herself

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